Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Blowing Away The Booze In The Autumn Breeze.

999 replies

Mouseface · 21/09/2011 12:22

Hello.

Welcome to The Brave Babes Battle Bus. Smile

I'm mouse and I have an abusive relationship with alcohol. I can't have just the one drink, ever.

I'm not alone here, there are Babes who are sober and have been for some time, Babes who are still drinking and trying their best to stop or cut down and then there are Babes who aren't ready to stop drinking. Yet.

So, why not come and say hi?

No judgy pants allowed on here I'm afraid, cakes and cheeses are! Grin

And for those who want to know a bit more about the Bus, HERE is our journey so far.

OP posts:
bafanatheSober · 28/09/2011 20:06

strawberryblonde sends her love, 5 weeks sober!!!
Can't believe how fast that has been!!

Mouseface · 28/09/2011 20:15

Ma - thank you lovely. xx

bafana - that is fantastic news, please pass on my love to her next time you text/speak or see her. xx

Right, time for recorded tv and snuggles with DH.

Goodnight my friends. Thank you being here today for me. Smile xx

OP posts:
BBwannaB · 28/09/2011 20:42

I wanted to 'just stop' for years and years, and I did; occasionally, for a few weeks at a time, often I had a particular reason (eg exams) usually I had a date to aim for (eg giving up for lent), that was will power I think.

This is different, this time I have had a different mentality, I took it ODAAT and had a plan each day for not drinking.

So far that has added up to more than 335 days - actually I have lost exact count.

But like Mouse I rely on you, my friends being there. I can't moan to RL friends every single day, if I want, only one person in RL understands or guesses how hard this actually is (not DH).

I don't always agree with everyone on this thread, but I believe in the group dynamic and truly value the freedom we have here to share.

Thank you friends Thanks

BBwannaB · 28/09/2011 20:44

Oh Lord! Are we all going a bit soft Ma?

jugglingwiththreeshoes · 28/09/2011 21:08

mouse Your boys' candle has been good company tonight. It's just good to share our lives with one another like you say in your lovely post.

Fairenuff Thanks for saving me a seat on the bus !

Has been good to do this week without the wine as has been challenging enough as it is looking after DC's on my own, and wondering about my life and relationship with DH. Because I'm on the bus with you guys I haven't bought any beverages when I've been out shopping this week (which is a change - DH would normally be asking me to buy some at least for him) - though could look for some soft drinks I guess. Quite fancy some ginger beer. Any tips on what you all recommend ? Thought the lemon ice-cubes sounded nice Smile

MsGee · 28/09/2011 21:14

Hi, quick post. Not drinking. Candles lit. ((( ))) all round.
Am shattered, feeling poorly and DD playing up. Wanted to jump into a vat of wine but did half hour work and just curling up to watch grand designs and fall asleep. No drinking.

Night x

MsGee · 28/09/2011 21:15

Ps venus your post was lovely. Will re read when brain working and think on it some more

BBwannaB · 28/09/2011 21:15

You could try adding some lime cordial to the ginger beer - it makes it taste quite different.

venusandmars · 28/09/2011 21:21

msgee it is not for thinking, it's for feeling....... Smile

venusandmars · 28/09/2011 21:25

juggling one of my favourites is a nothing and tonic (N&T), prepared with all the care that a really great G&T or Vodka would have previously deserved: Lots of ice cubes in the freezer, fresh lime, fresh lemon, really cold tonic (I've taken to buying little cans rather than a big bottle). I don't even miss the gin.

I also love apple and soda, or the wonderful (but expensive) Bottle Green lemongrass and ginger.

thursomuchtolookforwardto · 28/09/2011 21:30

Going to bed now, bit hard today.

Mouse xxxxx

Fairenuff · 28/09/2011 21:32

You truly are lovely venus Smile

I really like lime and soda and anything that's fizzy and not too sweet. I also add loads of ice - I buy it by the bag full. It's expensive for frozen water Grin but much cheaper than booze. It's my treat. I use the crushed bits at the bottom of the bag to make slushes for my kids. Spoil them rotten I do Grin

Also, fruit teas and hot chocolate. Haven't tried iced tea yet though.

thursomuchtolookforwardto · 28/09/2011 21:33

Oops! missed a page!,
love to all
xx

BBwannaB · 28/09/2011 21:34

What happened today Thurso, something in particular?

jesuswhatnext · 28/09/2011 22:45

MYODD - i absolutly agree with you!, to beat this you DO need will power, self control and a fucking great backbone! - ime, you also need people who understand, who dont judge, who support without nagging, who know when to be kind and when to be harsh - im not sure if we have a 'disease', and tbh, i couldnt give a fuck if we have or not! (the alcohol that calls to you from the bottle certainly dosent give a shit!) - all i know, all i want from now on, is to find a way to stay sober!, i dont over think it, i dont philosophise (sp? Hmm) over it, i just accept it as my reality and get on with it! all the time spent debating points gets us away from the reason we are here - to stop drinking!

mouse - goes without saying! love you!!

btw - strawberryblonde!! bloody well done you!! Grin

Isindebetterplace · 29/09/2011 00:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

IWantWine · 29/09/2011 06:23

mouse so sorry to hear about your loss.

Hope everybody is feeling positive this morning. I think I would be if I could only sleep. I guess that is one of the reasons I started to drink too much - to avoid those awful hours lying all alone and worrying. I had more than I wanted to last night but less than I could have drank so that is a slight improvement. Just not looking forward to tonight :(

thursomuchtolookforwardto · 29/09/2011 07:21

Morning all,

Mouse I hope you are ok today, and managed some seep last night.

I am sorry for posting one line, and then going off, not a clever thing to do.Sorry. I had gradually got more and more sad as the afternoon wore on, but, didn't like to post as others have much more reason to feel sad than me. Only tea taken though, so feel ok this morning, and am off for a swim.

This message looks all disjointed because my keyboard is playing up. I'll give it a thump!!!

xxxx

thursomuchtolookforwardto · 29/09/2011 07:22

What!!!!!

Fairenuff · 29/09/2011 08:12

Grin thurso I am having techie problems this morning too, glad I'm not the only one.
My enter key doesn't make a new line anymore. Is this MN or my keyboard? (New paragraph)

Have a good day all Smile

Fairenuff · 29/09/2011 08:14

Ah it came out OK in the post just not in the pre-post, so it's MN. Hope it's sorted by the time I get back. Just slugging my tea then off to work. Byeeee

venusandmars · 29/09/2011 08:29

Ha ha - loving your post thurso - liked how you created all that anticipation Smile. So why didn't you come on here and tell us how you were feeling? Maybe being alone was the best way to cope with it, but you should never do that just because you feel you can't post. I'm going to visit dd tonight, so I'll give her a hug for all new students everywhere.

IWW is there something specific about tonight that you're not looking forward to? Or is it a general feeling about trying to cope without your usual quantity of wine? I know what you were told about trying to cut back, and I'm wondering if you have an actual plan for that? For example, if you normally drank a bottle or more each night, then cutting back to half a bottle would be a good start. But opening a bottle and then only drinking half of it is tough, so I imagine that the only way I could do that would be to only have access to half a bottle - which is 2 of those little mini-bottles that you can buy in the supermarket. If you only buy 2, then you can't drink more than you intend to.

Then the next week you cut down to 1 mini bottle per night (again only buying one per day), and then the following week you don't buy any at all.

Or is it not as simple as that? If it feels more difficult, then come and post on here, tell us how you are doing, and we can give you some practical ideas about how we all cope (in our different ways). And many of us have found that sleep without drink is deeper and more refreshing than drunken oblivion ever was.

swallowedAfly · 29/09/2011 08:34

morning all Smile

zumba again this morning - the stumbly sweat fest that i've come to dread and yet enjoy.

day 6. weird night waking up several times and thinking it was morning only to find it was so far from it. nice to do that without dehydration and anxiety coursing through the veins though. still feel good this morning. think it may be that i've caught up on sleep and don't need to go to bed as early as i was doing. need to find things to do in the evening that keep me going a bit longer rather than collapsing into bed in front of the laptop. more adjustments to not drinking i guess. i was generally an afternoon drinker so would be more than happy to climb into bed come evening. things have changed.

MsGee · 29/09/2011 08:39

Morning spooky keyboard stuff this morning.

venus your post did make me Blush. Obviously I am a bit more comfortable with the thinking and the spreadsheets rather than the feeling.

I tried a meditation class once - have never been so stressed in all my life! I spent the entire hour over thinking the instructions ... instructor said: think of a friend, my brain said: which friend? which friend? if I pic x will y be upset, I need more instruction instructor said: picture a purple boat, my brain said, AHA! Purple, that's your corporate colours, are you trying to brainwash me.... It was exhausting. I am not good at just being. I can't ever just be. I have to read, fiddle on phone, work, eat, watch tv (and normally I am doing something else then).

Anyway, enough of my stream of consciousness. Hope everyone is feeling ok today. Day 6 for me and saf. Been a while since I have been able to say that!

Its also my last day of work for the month, being self employed I seem to lurch from month end to month end. I love the end of a month, all the invoices sent off, work completed (or written off!). And a shiny new month ahead, full of possibilities... Its like the start of the school year for me every month.

(will it surprise you all I loved the start of the school year, all that new stationery!!).

Happy thursday to you all x

BrawToken · 29/09/2011 08:47

Hi Babes
I read the posts in here often and, for a while posted under another name last year - you are all wonderful. I have been off the wagon for a while now - drinking far, far too heavily and justifying it by saying lots of others do too. I am in Scotland.
But, I have managed not to have a drink since Sunday and even had to go to the shop at the difficult time (7pm) last night to buy some provisions - normally have at least a bottle of wine a night (but regularly more).
I am very worried about losing my resolve and just wanted to let you all know how much you inspire me and I will be back after work.
Wondering about AA - I have found 2 classes which I could slip out to in my lunch break, but couldn't pluck up the courage to go.
Braw xx